Entering this summer, Niskanen was a restricted free agent. If both sides hadn’t reached an agreement by noon on Sunday, he would have become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team he wanted.

Entering this summer, Niskanen was a restricted free agent. If both sides hadn’t reached an agreement by noon on Sunday, he would have become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team he wanted.

Entering this summer, Niskanen was a restricted free agent. If both sides hadn’t reached an agreement by noon on Sunday, he would have become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team he wanted.

Entering this summer, Niskanen was a restricted free agent. If both sides hadn’t reached an agreement by noon on Sunday, he would have become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team he wanted.

Entering this summer, Niskanen was a restricted free agent. If both sides hadn’t reached an agreement by noon on Sunday, he would have become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team he wanted.

Not that it matters now, but I don't think that is correct.

Yeah, that's incorrect.

He was arbitration eligible though wasn't he?

Yes...I believe so. But, where are you going with this?

Only that had he gone to arbitration, he might have been awarded more than what he signed for,and then Shero would need to decide whether to accept the arbitrator's award, or walk away from it.

pens_CT wrote:Only that had he gone to arbitration, he might have been awarded more than what he signed for,and then Shero would need to decide whether to accept the arbitrator's award, or walk away from it.

Fine, and that's right, but it didn't seem like Niskanen was headed towards arbitration, he seemed to be just happy to be on board...and in any sort of event, in no way can you connect a player - who did not file for arbitration - to unrestricted free agency...I mean, it's just flat out incorrect. It doesn't belong in any article or press release. As it was written and as it was implied, it is false - misinformation.

columbia wrote:You do not hastily trade Paul Martin, in order to retain the services of Ben Lovejoy.

You sure looked deep into my statement there...I think Lovejoy is gone, too. I don't think the Penguins would have bothered to retain Niskanen to make their situation harder in retaining their prospects.

Is my count off or did we net negative one NHL d-men so far this offseason? Why does keeping a player we all knew we would keep change anything? I mean, if we sign Suter tomorrow, ok, you got something...but so far, the defense looks the same except minus Michalek, right? And I'm not scared of losing Engelland, Lovejoy, Strait or Bortuzzo or Sneep for that matter, on waivers...I don't like to lose players on waivers, but I'm not worried about half of them being claimed and the other half I don't care...

mikey287 wrote:Is my count off or did we net negative one NHL d-men so far this offseason? Why does keeping a player we all knew we would keep change anything? I mean, if we sign Suter tomorrow, ok, you got something...but so far, the defense looks the same except minus Michalek, right? And I'm not scared of losing Engelland, Lovejoy, Strait or Bortuzzo or Sneep for that matter, on waivers...I don't like to lose players on waivers, but I'm not worried about half of them being claimed and the other half I don't care...

I'm sure you're not worried, but you're also not Shero. I don't think any GM wants to lose a player, let alone promising prospects away for nothing. Obviously I'm not Shero either, but I'd lean toward Shero plans on being a buyer tomorrow.

Right, which is why it's fine, because we aren't losing any promising prospects. We have a bunch of future #6's...sixes are everywhere, I mean, hell, one of them (Derek Joslin) was just bought out today by Carolina...I mean, these guys are a dime-a-hundred...they pass through waivers by bushel every year...

I used to be super protective of such situations too, but when you mature and start understanding how the league operates a little better, you realize that these guys like Engelland and Strait and whoever, they come and go from organizations all the time...

i think michalek leaving was the point in time where we found out that martin was staying. the piddly return we got from Z implies that there aren't any teams hanging on to their opinions of these guys from 2010. and giving away 2 "NHL defensemen" isn't a recommended course of action for GM's.

mikey287 wrote:Right, which is why it's fine, because we aren't losing any promising prospects. We have a bunch of future #6's...sixes are everywhere, I mean, hell, one of them (Derek Joslin) was just bought out today by Carolina...I mean, these guys are a dime-a-hundred...they pass through waivers by bushel every year...

I used to be super protective of such situations too, but when you mature and start understanding how the league operates a little better, you realize that these guys like Engelland and Strait and whoever, they come and go from organizations all the time...

Despite your feelings on Engelland, we can't afford to lose him unless Shero is in fact going out and buying someone like Allen. Outside of Orpik, we don't have any physical stay-at-home dmen. We're going to get lit up with a core of all offensive dmen.

Lovejoy would be the one most likely lost. Engelland has played significantly more and, as you mentioned, we have far more replacements for Lovejoy. Just a side note Hugo.

Like the Niskanen deal. Follows typical protocol with these types of guys. 2 years, average salary. The defense is pretty full, so I don't expect much action going after dmen unless whoever Shero is targeting at wing falls through.

mikey287 wrote:Right, which is why it's fine, because we aren't losing any promising prospects. We have a bunch of future #6's...sixes are everywhere, I mean, hell, one of them (Derek Joslin) was just bought out today by Carolina...I mean, these guys are a dime-a-hundred...they pass through waivers by bushel every year...

I used to be super protective of such situations too, but when you mature and start understanding how the league operates a little better, you realize that these guys like Engelland and Strait and whoever, they come and go from organizations all the time...

Despite your feelings on Engelland, we can't afford to lose him unless Shero is in fact going out and buying someone like Allen. Outside of Orpik, we don't have any physical stay-at-home dmen. We're going to get lit up with a core of all offensive dmen.

That's fine, I don't disagree even. Engelland has the most value to the organization out of that group probably. But eventually, he'll probably need to be phased out of the lineup (even further) to achieve optimal success. If Engelland was better at preventing goals, he'd be welcomed with open arms...but I'm not sure he prevents any more goals than these offensive d-men that you're talking about...

I also find it odd, that no one was quite sure of Justin Faulk when he was rumored to be in the Staal deal...but yet everyone seems so sure of Bryan Allen, his teammate...how do you know one player's game and not the other's...? That's not to say Allen wouldn't be a fit (though he is quite slow) but I just found it a touch odd...collectively, we seem pretty sure of Allen...Faulk (a far superior player with enormous upside) was met with apathy at best it seemed...

Hugo Stiglitz wrote:Despite your feelings on Engelland, we can't afford to lose him unless Shero is in fact going out and buying someone like Allen. Outside of Orpik, we don't have any physical stay-at-home dmen. We're going to get lit up with a core of all offensive dmen.

That's fine, I don't disagree even. Engelland has the most value to the organization out of that group probably. But eventually, he'll probably need to be phased out of the lineup (even further) to achieve optimal success. If Engelland was better at preventing goals, he'd be welcomed with open arms...but I'm not sure he prevents any more goals than these offensive d-men that you're talking about...

Honestly, I felt a lot safer with him on the ice than Martin or Michalek last year. And I'm not talking out of my dislike for the other two. I mean that.